Make Different Choices!

Sabotage.

At least that's what I keep claiming. And really I might not be far off of the mark because as of my last post my dh has gotten influenza, I've gotten a sinus infection and my daughter went from having a small cold to now having influenza with maybe a day in between, but probably just a few hours, and now we are in the middle of an ice storm. So OBVIOUSLY I can not control what has been going on with my eating (since I just have to eat when I'm bored/frustrated/stressed/not feeling well) and I can not control how many times I've made it (or not) to the gym because of illness and weather, I mean, its out of my hands, right?

Uh. No.

You see, its not out of my hands. I CHOSE to eat poorly, and I CHOSE to skip my workouts. Now, obviously I'm allotted a couple of days of rest and relaxation as I recoup from my sinus infection, and obviously I shouldn't be taking my germies to the gym to ever so kindly hand over to my fellow fat fighters, but in all reality I took my little inch and stretched it a couple of miles.

I was reading a delightful post over at Just Running, where she was actually responding to a post she read over at Leaving Fatville, and it really struck home with me. How many times have I gotten on here to complain and gripe about how life has gotten in my way? But Amy mentioned something in her post that resonated deeply with me.

I mean, it really shouldn't seem all that brilliant, because it is quite simple. It reminds me of that saying everyone has about the definition of insanity (doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results). It really is that simple. The choices I am making are not getting me to where I want to go, so I need to make different choices. Notice she didn't say "better choices". Because, as she points out, there aren't good or bad choices, they're just choices. I make the choice to skip my workout this afternoon. I make the choice to go skinny dipping in a bag of M&M's while watching TV for 4 hours. These are all choices that I alone am making, and if I'm so bummed about the results these choices are leading to, well then its time to make different ones!

Because no, it's not all about being perfect all of the time. Its about making a different choice then the ones I made that slowed me down, and knocked me off course. So while my daughter is still very ill and I can not get away to go to the gym...I do own an elliptical, several exercise DVDs, and a Wii Fit. And while I may not feel quite up to making a 4 course meal just yet, I think I am capable of tracking my calories and making quick and healthy meals that easily fall into my calorie budget. Because honestly, sometimes we just make being healthy too hard. It isn't about endless hours spent at the gym, or fancy shmancy dinners. Its about choosing to get off the couch, choosing to drink that water instead of the soda. Its about choosing to have a normal serving of pasta over that enormous bowl, or choosing to savor 1 piece of chocolate instead of four.

Health is a choice. I chose to be fat. I chose to be lazy. I chose to be unhealthy. And since those choices no longer satisfy me, I choose to be different.

The choice is yours too.